The role of hand-assisted laparoscopic distal gastrectomy for distal gastric cancer

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Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of hand-assisted distal gastrectomy (HALDG) for gastric cancer. This study prospectively enrolled 16 patients who underwent HALDG for early gastric cancer and matched them individually by sex, age, and body mass index to patients who underwent laparoscopically assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) or open distal gastrectomy (ODG). Surgical outcomes were compared among the surgical methods. The mean operating time was the longest for the HALDG group, whereas wound size of the HALDG group was intermediate between that of the LADG and the ODG groups. The other surgical outcomes, such as the number of harvested lymph nodes, were not different among the groups. According to the findings, HALDG may not be as beneficial for patients with early gastric cancer as has been previously suggested. However, because of easier hand-eye coordination, HALDG may be an excellent bridge learning technique as a surgeon gains experience in laparoscopic gastrectomy.